Related Links

PEOPLE
think that you only have to be savvy when shopping for big items. But the
reality is that you need to keep your eyes wide open even when you shop for
your groceries because shops charge differently to meet their profits.

THE RISING
COST

Food has
become expensive and the lack of rain has also seen food prices escalating.
With the holiday season here, people will be celebrating by throwing parties
and hosting gatherings. Stokvels that save throughout the year for groceries
are also buying groceries to share among members. But you should not fall into
the trap of spending more than you should on groceries. Move! speaks to
Busisiwe Mdingi, a manager at one of the leading food wholesale stores in
Gauteng, who provides valuable tips on grocery shopping.

CHOOSING
WHERE TO SHOP

According
to Busisiwe, during this time of the year, prices go up and people don’t notice
because they have money from their bonuses. “They pay without thinking twice.
If they took the time to do a price comparison across all major retailers and
wholesalers, they would save big time,” she says. Essentially, what cost you R20 at one shop can
cost you less in another. Busi advises
consumers to collect flyers from different shops and do a price comparison. “If
you notice that prices are relatively lower at a particular shop, you should go
and buy there.”

Move Tip:
Speak to other people about where they shop and hear their views on why they
shop there. This could save you a lot of money on your grocery bill.

WHOLESALE
VS RETAIL

There are
advantages and disadvantages to shopping at either a wholesale or retail
shop. Wholesale shops tend to be
cheaper than retail shops. This is because they do not invest much into how the
shop looks. They also do not invest much into the positioning and display of products
like retail shops do. “Because wholesale shops are sometimes cheaper, they
become packed and don’t give you the convenience that you would get at a retail
shop,” advises Busi. It is important to note that most wholesale shops are
usually located in central business districts while retail shops can be found
in residential and business districts.

Move Tip:
Wholesale shops tend to have strict trading hours while retail shops can open
up till late at night, making it easy to choose the hours when you want to do
your shopping. You can even do your shopping when you come back from work.

BUY IN BULK

People get
paid early in December, meaning that when they buy groceries they have to cater
for half of December and the whole of JanuaryIf you buy little food in
December, it will certainly run out in the middle of January when you don’t
have money. This is why buying in bulk is wise as it is much cheaper than
buying individual items. “We see many stokvels buying in bulk so that they can
share the groceries among the members. But what they don’t know is that because
they are spending a lot of money at one go, they can negotiate a discount with
the store. All they need to do is to speak to the manager and see what
discounts they qualify for,” says Busi.

Move Tip:
Gather your friends and family and buy groceries together to see what discounts
you can get as you'll be shopping as a group.

COMPARE
BRANDS

People tend
to naturally buy brands they are familiar with but sometimes the quality of the
brand you are loyal to is the same as that of a more affordable brand.
Sometimes the cheaper brand can even be of a better quality. With the economy
not performing well, it is crucial to save every cent we can. Why not try a
different but affordable brand? Buy it on a small scale to try it out. If you
are satisfied with the quality, then buy it in bulk.

Move
Tip: There are many shops with in-house
brands. Try cleaning and food products and see which ones best suit your needs.
These are sometimes cheaper than branded products.

START EARLY

Busisiwe
says most people leave grocery shopping for the last minute and shop when most
stores have increased their prices. It is better to shop early and take
advantage of the sales just before the festive season. Many people may complain
that they can’t shop early because they don’t have money but Busisiwe says,
“Consumers must enquire in the shops and see if they have a saving scheme or
stamps for groceries. You can buy the stamps on a monthly basis and use them to
buy your groceries in November.” This is exactly what most stokvels do and
because they plan on time, they get more value for their money.

Move Tip:
Make sure you buy stamps or invest in a reputable grocery savings scheme. Ask
your family and friends to see which ones are reliable so that you don’t end up
losing your money in a fly-by-night savings scheme

Tell us a bit about yourself:

Saving your profile

Settings

News24 allows you to edit the display of certain components based on a location.
If you wish to personalise the page based on your preferences, please select a
location for each component and click "Submit" in order for the changes to
take affect.

Your Location*

Weather*

Always remember my setting

Saving your settings

Facebook Sign-In

Hi News addict,

Join the News24 Community to be involved in breaking the news.

Log in with Facebook to comment and personalise news, weather and listings.